South dakota

Workforce Success Story Submitted By: Department of Labor

Meet Daniel

Workforce Challenge

Daniel, 22 years old, attends the University of South Dakota, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in business management and in German. During summer 2009, Daniel needed to obtain work experience to explore career options.

Workforce Solution

The South Dakota Department of Labor provided Daniel with a summer internship in which he helped launch a new organization, Great Plains International Trade Association (GPITA). GPITA’s goal is to provide further education to the commercial, retail, manufacturing and agricultural businesses that conduct international trade within South Dakota and its surrounding regions.

At GPITA, Daniel acted in a variety of capacities as the Assistant to Executive Director, most notably: designing the logo, letterhead and business cards; creating a membership application, invitation and directory; producing a full-color newsletter; and writing press releases. He also assisted in planning several international freight forums and wrote a draft of GPITA’s strategic goals.

Outcomes & Benefits

The internship ended in August, 2009, and Daniel's supervisor Rock Nelson hopes to hire him full time while he finishes school. Best of luck, Daniel!